Engagement
by Amanio
Summary: “I plan to make an announcement about us. In one week, to be exact.” “That soon?” Sakura shrieked. "Why should I wait? If one does not look after what is his, then it will be taken away before his very eyes." ItachixSakura. SEQUEL TO COURTSHIP


**Note: _Engagement _is the sequel to my fan fic _Courtship_, so if you have not read that, I recommend that you go to my profile and check that out first. **

* * *

**ENGAGEMENT**

To say that her relationship with the elder Uchiha was flourishing would be an understatement. Surprisingly enough, to both Sakura and her parents, her relationship with Itachi was going along so very smoothly.

As soon as her parents had heard that they were meeting, they were both very excited that their one and only child was finally letting someone enter her heart and uncover things that no one else had, treat her like no one else ever had.

She was growing so very emotionally attached to him that it almost scared her at times, but all she needed was his reassuring embrace to reassure her that opening up to him and allowing him into her mind, her heart, and her soul, was all part of having a good bond with someone.

Sakura couldn't help but think that things were so very perfect—more perfect then they had _ever _been. And it was all because of this man who had bravely and confidently walked into her life and was willing to take on the challenge that she was so sure she was going to give to him.

Too bad that all ended up plummeting into a pile of forgotten thoughts—she was all but addicted to the way his smooth voice sounded, how his soft dark hair felt under her fingertips whenever she would brush it away from his eyes, how he would regard her with warm eyes that were saved for no one but her.

It made her feel so very _special_, so very _loved_, so very _cherished. _

On weekdays, they would meet one another in the confines of her house after her hospital shift was over and Itachi was temporarily done with his duties—and talk. Slowly, Sakura was beginning to learn just what made up this man named _Uchiha Itachi_.

He was much harder to read and learn about compared to her (hell, she had cracked in less than a day), and he didn't even have to _try _to get her to respond to him—she was such a responsive person, and Itachi got reminded of that each and every time he lowered his head, while she lifted herself onto her toes, and kissed her with such serenity and compassion.

At the moment, the only ones who knew of the Uchiha courting Sakura Haruno was none other then the parents of Sakura. Sakura could tell that her mother had to _force _her mouth shut—it was so very tempting for her to spread the news to the entire family.

And with a family as big as hers, it might as well be announced to all of Konoha while she was at it.

Who would have ever thought that this kunoichi would end up with such a promising suitor?

But it made sense. Her accomplishments rivaled his—they were on the same level. There we absolutely no difference in the ranking between the two, nothing that would make Sakura feel inferior to him, and Itachi superior to her (not that he ever felt he was).

While Itachi excelled in the art of the shinobi and was also deemed to be one of the most intelligent, Sakura contained an expertise in the medical field, unique characteristics that set her aside from the typical shinobi, _and_ was extremely intelligent as well, to say the least.

Itachi had _finally _found a woman that he could be on the same level ground with—a woman that he knew he could depend on, a woman that needed no help in making her decisions, a woman that he knew would have continued to flourish _with _or _without _him.

It was refreshing to realize that he finally had someone that he could set aside his differences with, someone who wouldn't treat him differently just because of his ranking and the clan he promoted.

None of this mattered to her. All that mattered to Sakura was _Itachi _himself—not the _Uchiha _part.

Sakura's laughter drifted throughout her room as she rested her head on Itachi— the two of them were currently situated on a mattress. Despite what everyone thought, Itachi was so very kind and caring—more so than she had ever thought he could be. Sakura was proud to know that she knew Itachi so much better then those who had been around him for many years more than she had.

She noticed what others failed to see—she saw what truly made up this man, and him being powerful, well-recognized among others, and coming from a prominent clan had absolutely nothing to do with it.

"Aaah. Itachi—look at the time."

After calling him _Uchiha-san _for nearly a week, Itachi had bluntly told her that regarding him in a more respectable matter would do nothing but hurt their relationship, and that he would much rather prefer it if she would just regard him as _Itachi_—because that's who he was, and him being an Uchiha had nothing to do it.

It was from that day forward that _'Uchiha-san' _became '_Itachi'_. But alas, habits were hard to break, so every now and then, Sakura found herself being corrected whenever her previous name for him slipped out.

In response to what she said, Itachi glanced at the clock calmly, calculating just how much more time he could spend with her before he would have to take his leave. From what he could tell, he had at least another half hour with her, if not a bit more, before he would have to return home and re-claim and act like the title he was able to drop whenever he was around Sakura.

Itachi glanced at Sakura for a moment before responding.

"I can stay longer if that is what you wish."

Sakura's eyes and expression warmed up at what he said. Instead of thinking about himself, he thought about her first—he wanted to be by her side for as long as he could, and for as long as she wished.

"That would be nice…"

Her soft voice drifted off as she set her face into his chest once again, breathing in his so very masculine scent. To her, it seemed to be like the smell of grass after rain had washed over it—so very fresh, so very clean.

Sakura had always been comforted by the rain, and she found that despite the sudden change it often brought, changing the sky from light to dark, that she enjoyed it.

The soft patter of the rain against the window was soothing.

Just as he was.

Just as silence once again came between them like it had before—silence that was rather welcomed, and far from awkward—Itachi spoke.

"I do not wish to keep quiet about this any longer."

The subject at which he was talking about was not at all what Sakura had expected. But then again, she should have known by know that Itachi as not the predicable type—she could never figure just what exactly was on his mind.

"Quiet…about what?" Sakura asked hesitantly, though she already had a good guess at what it was that he meant.

"Quiet about _us_," he said, the last word purposely said just a bit louder and deeper to give a good impact.

"What's the sudden rush?" she questioned. "I don't see why anyone has to know. Keeping silent about this for a little big longer is saving you a lot of t-"

"_No." _

His words cut through her like a newly-sharpened knife that was ready to be used.

For a second, Sakura's entire form went to incredibly relaxed to incredibly tense—it took a few tries from Itachi as he attempted to sooth her before he could get her to relax and put her head onto his shoulder and her form against his once more.

In his arms is where he felt that she belonged, and would always stay.

Sakura was beyond confused—she was _puzzled_. Dumbfounded. In all the months that they had been dating (about 7, if she had counted correctly) _never _had he spoken to her like that.

Never.

She found that it…stung a bit. Hurt, even, that he would use that tone with her.

But she didn't understand the reasoning behind it, for if she did, she wouldn't have been filled up with hurt like she was at the moment.

Rather, she'd be filled with such an intense sweep of emotions that her heart would be beating inside of her chest with more joy than she had ever experienced yet.

Whenever he was around her, her heart would almost leap out of her chest with joy and delight to know that the entire package that was known as Sakura was _finally _being accepted, and as a whole, nothing being left behind.

But even with being hurt, Sakura was not weak. She was not going to back off because of his statement. No matter how deeply attached she was to him, it didn't mean that she was going to let herself be pushed around by him just yet, even if it hurt her to put up resistance to the man she cared so very much for.

"And why not?" she shot back at him, her eyes sparkling with the familiar fire Itachi had been met with ever since their first encounter. "I do not see what the issue is."

Despite how intelligent she was, it was times like these that reminded Itachi just why exactly he was here, what his role was, and that, to protect her, he was _needed _to be by her sides at all times. He knew Sakura was no weak kunoichi, but it was not in this field that she needed protection in—she needed protection from the attraction she was drawing without even trying.

She was like the flame that the moths were attracted too—no one could deny themselves of the brilliant light she gave out that seemed to warm others. It hadn't taken Itachi long at all to realize that the list of men who wouldn't mind having her by _their _side was quite long.

And what was even more baffling was that she didn't even seem to take notice of this.

At all.

Without even trying to, Sakura attracted so many men without even trying—her personality was what drew others in. Though fierce, it didn't take long for Itachi to figure out that she was only rough around the edges. Once she let you in, it was smooth sailing from there.

So many different men would try to approach her in hope of getting her to be theirs, but they'd be turned down without even getting the chance to _say _anything. Smart or not, Sakura was simply too oblivious to the tactics these men used, which also reminded Itachi of the rare innocence she possessed.

Even as a child, he had been tainted with the darkness of war, blood, and ultimately, killing, which was the best art a ninja possessed and used.

The art of killing.

It was what they were trained for. It was what they were made for. No matter how hard one tried to deny it, those were the simple facts. Those who had not been struck by the blood of their first kill would not understand. To understand, one must _experience _it.

And yet…she still continued to believe so very strongly in what she categorized as _right _or _wrong_. Itachi wondered that if the position of a medic didn't exist if she would have ever made it as far as she had as a kunoichi.

She was simply too kind-hearted to carry out the sins Itachi found himself having to do during each and every mission. It was a constant cycle—and to one who wasn't used to it, it would seem to be _terrifying_. Killing people had become a norm. No matter how wrong it was, it was happening.

And no one could stop it.

Sighing, he pulled his hand through his hair once before answering her.

"You do not see the issue, which is exactly why I'm here to make you see it. Do you not notice all the gazes you pull? All the men out there who are simply _lusting _for you? Who infatuate themselves with the idea of you being _theirs_?"

He did not waver in his words despite the dark red blush that spread across Sakura's face.

"If they do not know that you are mine, their actions will only be encouraged. Which is _exactly _why they must realize where it is that you belong and know that they are not in the position to even _glance _at you," he growled.

"If one does not look after what is his," he started to say, looking Sakura straight in the eye before continuing, "then it will be taken away before his very eyes."

At this point, Sakura was beyond flattered. She found it a bit embarrassing and yet satisfying to know that this man would go as far as to be possessive of her, to actually, maybe, possibly, even be _jealous_.

And overprotective.

It was flattering, to say the least, to think that someone else would go as far as they could to make sure that what was already theirs would always be theirs.

She sighed dreamily, feeling the fast beatings of her heart, and leaned into his touch, pressing against him even more than before.

There was no reason for him to fight so hard for her—she was already his.

He needn't worry.

"Do you understand my perspective now, Sakura?"

His voice had become reverted back to its normal state: smooth and calm.

"Yes…"

"Good." His reply was blunt.

"I plan to make an announcement about us. In one week, to be exact."

A series of emotions played across Sakura's face: shock, amazement, and wonder.

"_That _soon?!" Sakura shrieked.

"Why should I wait?" he said in return to her outburst. "Did you not just agree with what I was saying moments ago?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Sakura." He intercepted her before she could finish her sentence.

"…Yes?"

"Do you trust me?"

Sakura blinked before nodding. There was no hesitation in her response.

She trusted him with all her heart.

"Then everything will turn out for the greater good."

He brushed his fingers against her cheek so very softly that it almost tickled. After doing it a few more times, Sakura's eyes slowly started to become bright with laughter as she let herself be consumed by the warmth of his hand.

It was then that he stood up.

"I must go now, Sakura."

"Fine."

She sighed, stood up, and opened the door of her room, quickly stepping aside to let him exit.

"There will be an event happening at exactly one week from now," Itachi said, walking up to her and circling his arms around her waist as he let her head rest on his shoulder once more.

"And of course, seeing how it's a get-together with the entire clan, as well as those the elders of the clan deem to be important to the clan as a whole, it will be the perfect place to announce that I am courting you."

His arms around her waist tightened for just a split second and then released her as if to warn her not to pry away from his touch in reaction to what he had just said.

"I expect you to attend. Since the purpose of the party is to announce that my father will finally step down from his status and allow me to take over his duties, I do not see a better opportunity to introduce you to them then there. Since I'm the reason for the event, I do not think it will inappropriate that I express my interest in you. The focus is me. And since it is, I do not see why you should not be able to attend."

All that he was saying was not a boast—it was merely the truth.

"You have my invitation."

To make sure that she didn't grow slightly intimidated about the idea of going there alone, he explained further.

"I, of course, will escort you there. You will be by my side the entire. Understand?" Itachi said, whispering into her ear.

It sent shivers down her spin.

All she could do was nod as she bit her lip.

She really did not understand how he could be planning all of this and not be the least bit nervous. She herself wasn't even going to make the announcement, and her nerves were off the chart.

What if the clan didn't approve of their relationship? Would they try to stop them from meeting each other? What if they decided that they didn't like her? And god, Sasuke would be there! Would she have the courage to even look him in the _eye _after what was going to happen?

The rumor was going to spread like wildfire, and Sakura didn't know if she was ready to handle it.

But she knew that Itachi was not going to change his mind, and to please him, she would listen, if not just this one time.

"I understand," Sakura said, finally speaking. "I guess that all I can do for now…is wait."

She pulled away from him and turned around to stare, her emerald eyes looking into the never-ending depth of his onyx ones.

"As long as you're there, I don't think I'll mind as much."

Itachi couldn't deny the grim satisfaction that played across his face to know that she felt so comfortable around him.

"I will come to take you next Thursday, as I said before, at 7 p.m. sharp. I will try to get you back home as soon as possible, but there is a high possibility that you might end up having to stay with me past midnight."

He paused to look at her before continuing.

"I look forward to next week."

And with that, he bent his neck, and took a kiss from her that lasted for a few rounds before letting his fingers slide from her hand.

He turned, ready to head out the door, but was stopped as Sakura walked up to him, placing her head on him as she grabbed his hands and intertwined her fingers with his.

"You will be back tomorrow, right?"

She sounded so very hopeful and trusting of him that even if he was planning to say no, he didn't know if he would be able to. But since he was planning to come back tomorrow to start with, he answered her just as quickly as she had asked him her question.

"Yes."

She let go of his hands, but did not remove her leaning form from him.

"…I will look forward to it."

Though she couldn't see it, Itachi's eyes shined with satisfaction, and the smirk on his face was undeniable.

He was _more _than satisfied.

"Good."

Sakura watched him depart from her room, her heart racing the entire time. Even after he had long left, she couldn't deny the happy skipping of her heart.

She hadn't felt this happy in a very, very long time.

* * *

Itachi had kept true to his word, of course, and had arrived to her house the next day. And the next day. And the next day. And of course, the day after that.

He came to her comfort every day until finally, Thursday had arrived.

This day would not be like the usual chatting sessions they had, but rather, for the first time, Itachi was going to take Sakura on a date that was not within the boundaries of her home.

One moment her house was filled with silence (she had told her parents of the event the day Itachi did, and so, deciding to give them privacy, had decided to leave the house for their _own _dinner date) and the next, there was a knocking at her door.

The front door, Sakura had told Itachi, was always unlocked. He did not have to ask. He could just walk right in. And even though he had been in her room multiple times, he still knocked on her door, asked for permission to come in (which she felt was unnecessary, but he still continued to do anyway) and then, of course, she gave him it.

Hearing the familiar knocking at her bedroom door caused Sakura's heart to skip a beat in anticipation as she approached the door. Sakura knew that he didn't even need to be told that she was coming to the door, because she knew that he could hear her footsteps. And he also knew that she wasn't the type to keep him waiting.

Sakura placed her hand over the doorknob and then turned it, opening it as wide as it would go to allow him to come in. It didn't even take a split second for Sakura to realize just how very _handsome _he was. To be honest, she was only opening gawking at him—if she had noticed it, she would have been extremely embarrassed, but it was an action that she didn't even realize she was doing.

A blush made it to her face as she stared at the _extremely _handsome Uchiha that was right in front of her now.

In her room.

With her.

All alone.

The possibilities made Sakura blush even more, but she would not deny it—_she could not pry her eyes away from him. _He was so very handsome in his outfit, the Uchiha symbol displayed proudly on the back of his long-sleeved shirt. The outfit he was wearing right now could possibly be considered just the typical ninja attire, but Sakura knew better than to assume that.

From what she could notice, the fabric that made up the usual ninja attire was much thinner, not to mention that, she was sure, that his clothes were made up of a much more expensive material. His shirt was like a like a jacket, in a way, with buttons on it. The only thing difference was the typical and well-known Uchiha symbol.

The fan.

Sakura had been openly staring at him for a couple of moments, and the only thing that was able to shut Sakura out of her daze and cause her to wake up was the click of the door as Itachi took the duty of closing the door behind him.

Sakura even saw the openly-shown smirk that dawned on his face and blushed an even darker shade of red.

It was then that Sakura had been brought back to reality.

Sakura had gotten her own share of staring at him, but so had he. She had absolutely no idea just how much she truly affected him. Without even meaning to, upon his entrance, he had paused for a split second to look at her, but quickly recovered without even giving her the chance to notice.

While she was staring at him, he would too, though it was out of the corner of his eye, which was much less noticeable compared to her open gaping.

It was then that he came to notice that she only wore one high-heel. She had probably been in the process of putting her shoes on and he had interrupted her. Itachi extended his hand out to her, giving his assistance to help her balance before they reached the bed, where she set herself down and picked up the other shoe and put it on, putting all the straps in place.

While doing this, he gazed at her, admitting that he was enjoying what he saw.

It was no lie to say that she looked absolutely stunning to him.

It was then that he mentally noted to himself that light blue looked very, very good on her.

Her entire dress consisted of the color light blue, and her sleeves were decorated with ribbons of other shades of blue that tied into a bow at the very end of the sleeve.

It took him just one more moment to notice the heart-shaped turquoise necklace on her neck that appeared to be made of some kind of stone. It didn't take long for him to come to the conclusion that her choice in clothing and jewelry was _very _well done.

She had not at all been stressed out, he could tell, from the idea of what to wear.

Sakura was confident enough to know that she knew what she was doing.

And he liked that.

After putting on her shoes, she turned to face him, still blushing.

"I'm ready."

He looked at her with such softness in his eyes that she stopped breathing for about a second or more.

Or maybe a couple of hours.

That's what it felt like.

Itachi didn't stop himself from leaning in and softly sliding his lips across her wide forehead before standing up, and then extended his hand to her once more.

"Let's go."

It was too late to turn back now.

* * *

Sakura was not completely inexperienced with parties and get-together's like these. With her father's status, things like this were common. Back when she was a child, she did not realize the importance of them, so never once had she been nervous.

It was now that she realized that ignorance was bliss.

She was so very nervous—she didn't know anyone at all except Itachi, who was by her side at all times, greeting guests, and of course, Sasuke—who she sure as hell hoped she didn't run into.

Or see.

At all.

If she did, she honestly didn't know what she would say.

After enjoying a nice meal (with Itachi) Sakura proceeded to be adventurous and tried out various desserts that she had never had before, along with a nice cup of warm, sugarless tea (all the sugar was in the dessert, so it's not like she needed anything to sweeten up her drink), and then latched herself by Itachi's side once more as they made their way around again.

It seemed like the two of them would _never _have a piece of mind. Every time they were done greeting someone, another would come to take the place of the one that had left.

It was a never ending cycle, and to be honest, Sakura was growing irritated. She, of course, didn't let it show through, and was polite to those she met, though she found that most would do nothing but just stare at her with obvious confusion as to why she was so intimately tied to the Uchiha heir.

Their stance explained it all. With her leaning on him every now and then, it didn't take a smart person to figure out just what kind of relationship the two had.

Finally, after another hour or so of endless greetings, the party was brought to a pause.

Everyone's attention was averted to the front of the room. Conversations were stopped, and finally, after another minute, the room was completely silent, everyone still in their places as they looked to the front.

Itachi squeezed Sakura's hand once as if to say _"this is it"_, and pulled her with him through the crowd, as they tried their best not to block other's views of the stage.

After a few rounds of applause as people were introduced to the stage and told of their major accomplishments that helped the clan flourish, the very reason for this ceremony was brought to the limelight.

Itachi left Sakura by the side of the stage, telling her that he would cue her when it was her time to come to be by his side once again.

Even though no introduction was needed—anyone who was anyone knew of the elder Uchiha—one was given.

"As you all know, this ceremony was planned and brought forth in honor of just one man. I'm sure you are all familiar with Itachi. With his father stepping down from his lead of the clan, it is only expected from the eldest to be the heir of what his father has left behind.

We have brought forth everyone today in celebration of this change in position. In all these years, ever since he was a boy, Itachi's one and only purpose was to make sure that he would be able to take on his future duties. And, as I'm sure you all know, he has done nothing but that—we have an excellent shinobi that far surpasses most, and with his intelligence, it is no lie to say that the Uchiha clan will be in control from one of our best leaders yet.

From this day on, Itachi is now the head of the Uchiha, and with that title, demands respect. We hope that Itachi will fulfill all of his duties for many years to come."

And just as they were about to proceed further with things, Itachi cleared his throat, causing everyone to shift their attention from the elder that had spoken to Itachi.

"There is someone that I would like to ask for permission to introduce."

Even though he didn't even need to ask, he did anyway, which once again proved to everyone that this man's manners were flawless.

Those up on stage (which consisted of his father and a few elders) nodded, granting him permission.

Sakura watched him as he spoke, and honestly wondered just how he handled all of this attention. She had never seen so many _eyes _staring at just one person in her entire life, and soon, all of those eyes would be on _her_.

She bit her lip before taking a deep breath, calming her nerves by reassuring herself that everything was going to go just fine and that if things didn't turn out right that Itachi would be there to help her out.

Knowing that Itachi was going to be there was all the reassurance she needed to stop the rising worry in the pit of her stomach.

"I would like to introduce to you a very important person in my life. I came to her house nearly 8 months in interest of courting her. As I'm sure many of you noticed, she was with me this entire time—I will not be surprised if any one of you recognize her.

Her name has been coming out of the mouths of many people for weeks now, and with her apprenticeship to the Hokage, she is a very recognized kunoichi who has achieved much. I present to you…_Sakura Haruno_."

And with her head raised high and proud and confident, Sakura stepped onto the stage and looked away from the eyes of the crowd.

Right now, she only saw Itachi.

To say that everyone was baffled would be putting things lightly. Whispers quickly erupted through the room, and before she knew it, full-out conversations were being said as people stared at both her and Itachi.

Itachi had not forgotten to include any details—he even said just how long how they had been together, and many found it surprising that they were able to keep things so silent for that long.

Sakura smiled at that.

It was because they had never gone out in the open together to make sure that no rumors or gossip about the two got out.

But now that their "secret" of the sorts was let out, she could now enjoy being with Itachi out in the open without having to worry about any eyes that would tell.

Sakura felt her stiffen for a moment, but Itachi's reassuring squeeze on her hand got her to relax.

To think…just months ago, she wouldn't have given this man the time of day, and now, here they were, announcing to the entire world that they were a couple.

Sakura had to refrain herself from leaning into Itachi's shoulder. Those before her had already heard enough. They did not need to go around chatting about how intimate they were each other, and Sakura appreciated her privacy. Things like caresses and kisses were to be saved only when they were in each other's company.

Itachi's gaze was firm as he met Sakura's emerald eyes and squeezed her hand once more before saying one last thing.

"I would also like to announce that from this day forward, Sakura and I are _engaged_."

His deep and powerful voice demanded attention from every single individual, and Sakura soon found that no one could take their eyes off him with a voice like that.

It was a very good trait for a leader such as himself to have.

But despite all the stares they were receiving, Sakura was probably the one to stare at Itachi the _most_.

_Engagement? When had he ever said to her that he was interested in such a thing yet? Wasn't it too EARLY to think about getting married? They hadn't even been together for more than a year!_

The two walked off the stage and away from all the staring eyes that followed them all the way to the middle of the room.

Itachi's back was to everyone as he talked to Sakura, saying things that only she could hear. Encouragements. Compliments. Assurances. And even a quick kiss on her forehead.

She had been planning to ask just what exactly it was that he was thinking as soon as they had gotten off stage, but she found herself speechless.

Sakura's eyes lit up with affection as Itachi's hands wound themselves around her waist. After a few more minutes of just standing, looking at one another, he removed his arms from her waist and placed them around her wrist ever so gently.

After the crowd of guests had settled down, they went back to their previous job: greeting anyone and everyone they saw. Many gave their congratulations, and for the first time, extended their hand towards Sakura and actually talked to _her_, not just Itachi.

For the first time throughout the whole party, she was being recognized for who she was.

For the accomplished medic she was. For the accomplished ninja she was.

And finally, as Itachi's woman.

Strange as that sounded, she didn't mind it. She felt content being by him.

He made her feel so very safe.

But her happiness was quickly thinned when a couple approached them. Immediately, Itachi grew weary of them, though he didn't make it obvious, but Sakura knew Itachi well enough, so she could tell, seeing as how his hand suddenly tightened around hers in warning, and prepared himself for the arrival of the two.

From what she could tell, the woman was incredibly _gorgeous_. She had smooth, long, silky legs that woman would normally die to have; her dress even gave off a bit of cleavage that gave a small view of her perfectly round breasts.

Sakura usually was not one to be jealous, but with the way Itachi was looking, she couldn't help but admit that she felt a little plain and inferior to the woman. It hurt her, seeing him look at another woman like that.

But she was wrong.

So very caught up in her own doubts, she didn't see the way Itachi looked at her, and the way it changed when his eyes returned to the woman Sakura could now not deny was completely and absolutely _gorgeous_.

It was a drastic change. A change that she didn't notice.

When looking at her, his gaze was soft and caring.

When it returned to the other woman, it was hard. Uncaring, even. He was not staring at her figure, or _her _to begin with—he was looking at her like the threat she was.

He knew these two, had talked to them at many of these social events, and knew very well just how they would act and talk.

"Well, well, well. So Itachi finally got himself a woman, now did he?" said the woman, her eyes looking at Sakura's unsure ones.

She was even daring enough to address him by his first name.

"So, how is _Lady Uchiha _doing?"

It came out in a sneer, but Itachi pretended to be oblivious to it.

Bringing out his hand, he shook both the man's and woman's before chatting with them for another three minutes, trying to wrap up his time with them as quickly as possible.

Sakura could tell right away that these two weren't like the previous guests she had met with. They were uncaring, cruel—rude, even. And so very arrogant, to top it off.

They would insult Itachi every now and then ever so subtly, but he just pretended not to notice—he was smart enough to know not to fall into their traps.

He was not the type of person to slip up.

Finally, their talking ended— Sakura had not said anything the entire time, having let Itachi do all of the talking, and could honestly say that she was glad that the two were going.

"I'll see you next time, won't I, Sakura? I hope your father approves of her, Itachi—he is a tough man to please."

Sakura knew she was trying to intimidate her.

Sakura honestly did not like the way this woman was talking to her. And she didn't like how she had been talking to Itachi either.

So she decided to take the smart way out.

Smiling, she nodded. It was the worst fake smile that she had ever made.

But then again, that was the point.

"Yes, you will. I look forward to it."

Sakura's tone was filled with fake delight that just baffled the woman before she huffed and walked away, looking back at the two once to see that Sakura was still smiling.

Looking away immediately, the two went to the other end of the room.

Sakura couldn't deny the full-fledged grin that spread across her face.

_Cowards. _

Even though she looked confident and happy—that didn't change, even as the two made their way outside to a place where Itachi knew no one else would be— Sakura's face crumbled right away as she looked to Itachi for guidance, for help, for some type of comforting.

And he was there all along to give it to her.

Leaning completely into him and not hiding her affection, the two shared multiple kisses as she all but stood on her toes—even now, when she was wearing high-heels, she was still a bit shorter— and enjoyed the way his lips would run across her forehead and neck every so now and then.

Sakura suppressed her soft moans and went limp under him as he all but kissed her until she herself pushed his lips away from hers and was gasping for air. The way he was looking at her was with a passion that he had been hiding all this time until she was ready to take it, ready for _him_.

And trusted him.

The two kissed a bit more before pulling away.

While Sakura was breathing in heavily, Itachi began to talk.

"In this world Sakura, there are those who will either wish you good will or wish you ill will."

His thumb stroked her cheek as it always did as he paused for a moment.

"It is up with you how to deal with it, and for the first time, you did just perfect, Sakura."

His eyes warmed up with approval.

"Do not doubt yourself."

She nodded, her eyes slowly watering as she finally exposed her weakness to him. She trusted him not to hurt her. To take care of her.

With his arms around her waist once more today, he let her silently cry into her shoulder, his shirt being wet by her tears.

As she finally pulled away from his shoulder, he smiled at her.

It was the first smile she had ever seen from him. His eyes and expression were so very soft that it made her want to cry again, and she all but lunged to kiss him right then and there.

After sharing another kissing, he let his fingers weave in and out of her hair.

And for the second time today, he asked her this question:

"Do you trust me, Sakura?"

Sakura blinked. Hadn't she already answered this question before?

"But I already said y-"

"Sakura." His gaze met hers.

"Do you trust me?"

It took her only a minute to realize just what it was that he was asking.

_Do you trust me to take care of you? To protect you? To safely keep all of you with me?_

Sakura answered him.

"_Yes._"

Sakura's eyes shone with tears.

"Yes, Itachi. I trust you completely."

_I trust you to take care of me, and I also trust you to…_

"And I also trust you to take care of my heart."

She grabbed his hand and, with no shame whatsoever, placed it on her breast as she left it there for about a minute or so, her hand on top of his as his hand was all but pressed against her breast.

And from there, to her heart.

"Very well then."

He finally spoke.

His free arm curled around her waist.

"Then everything will turn out for the greater good."

He kissed her again. At the moment, the two were so very high off their own love that they found that they could not stop themselves from kissing every so often.

"When did you…decide that we should be engaged?" she asked when they broke their kiss.

It was all so very strange to her. How could they be engaged when she didn't even _know _that they had been before his announcement?

His eyes sparkled.

"After the first month."

Sakura blinked and nearly gasped with surprise.

"T-The first _month_?!" she screeched. "But y-"

"I am very confident with my decision." His calm eyes met her distressed and confused ones.

"I know that I have made the right decision."

"But-"

He silenced her by placing a finger onto her lip.

"Shhh."

He rubbed his cheek against hers in affection.

"You know me. I am not one to change my mind."

He continued to play with Sakura's pink locks.

"I know you far better than you think I do, Sakura. I am completely in tune with your character."

Sakura couldn't deny that part.

"I have your heart in my hands, and as long as you trust me, nothing will turn out wrong. I made this engagement because I feel that _we're ready for it_."

Itachi rubbed her cheek with his thumb.

"I wish to marry you."

Sakura could feel her face begin to flush.

"Since the very beginning, that was always my intention."

Suddenly, things began to click into place. She could remember his words from many, many months ago. Up until now, she had never thought much of them, but now, _it made sense. _

Those words began to resound through her head.

"_I came here in search of permission from your parents."_

"_Permission for what?"_

"_I asked for permission from your parents to allow me to court you. And, if it goes along well…to have your hand in marriage." _

He had never doubted that things would go well. Perfectly, even. _All along, he had known things were going to turn out just the way he had expected._

And they did.

Here was a woman that had never once thought of marriage or men until that day so many months ago. Despite all the time that had passed by between the two, it still felt like yesterday.

She couldn't believe this was happening.

_Sakura Haruno _was now _engaged _to _Uchiha Itachi, head of the Uchiha clan._

_And with engagement leads to…_

"Marriage."

Itachi nodded.

"I wish to marry you."

"Are you…sure this is what you want?"

Her voice was hesitant.

"Are you sure you want to tie yourself to me for the rest of your years? To live with me? To maybe, possibly…_have children_?"

Itachi calmly answered her.

"Do not doubt my decisions," he warned. "Whatever choice I make will always have you in mind. I _know _what I want, Sakura."

He gently pushed her towards the fence that surrounded them and trapped her head between his arms.

"_Do you?_" Itachi asked.

Sakura stayed silent, not sure as to how she was to answer his question.

She cared for this man. She cared for him more than _herself_.

To be honest, she was not against the idea of being married to him at all. She _wanted _to marry him. She…she wanted to marry the man that she lo-

"Yes."

Her voice was filled with a new found confidence that made Itachi proud of this little female.

"My mind is made up."

For the first time today, Sakura brought her _own _eyes up to Itachi's, instead of _him _bringing his to hers.

Itachi swelled with pride.

"I wish…I wish to marry you, too."

Sakura's voice was so very soft, but he still heard it. Finally, all her doubts were erased. She was officially _his_.

The two had bound one another to their sides. They had _welcomed _it.

Itachi looked at her with openly caring eyes.

"Good."

* * *

He had taken her back to her home last night, walking up her stairs and into her room before leaving her.

"I will be back tomorrow," he confirmed with her.

"We have yet to clear things up completely. Your mother and father do not know of our decision, and my own parents will, I am certain, wish to speak with you."

"And I still haven't told any of my friends," Sakura spoke, her voice filled with guilt. "Naruto, Ino, Hinata, TenTen—the list goes on and on! And I haven't even _spoken _to Sasuke yet either! I wonder what he thought of the announcement at the party today."

Clearly, she was stressed out by the idea.

"It will be fine," Itachi assured her. "I am sure that they will accept it."

"How can you always be so confident? Why am I _always _the one fretting? You _never _seem to get nervous!"

"I am confident because my goal has already been reached."

"What goal?"

Itachi smirked at her before answering her question.

"_Making you mine._"

And just like she had seen so many, many times, Sakura's face turned into a shade of red that did nothing but clash with the color of her hair.

He loved how her reactions to him were so very _obvious_. Reading her wasn't hard at all.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sakura said stubbornly, crossing her arms as she looked the other way as soon as she met his eyes. "I only belong to myself, thank you very much."

Seeing her defy him did nothing but amuse him.

"Oh? Very well then," Itachi coolly said, playing along with her game. "Then I guess I will have to give this to someone else, won't it?"

It was then that he pulled something out of his pocket.

It was a small black case—one of those tiny boxes that were made to fit one thing, and _only _thing. And it was typically jewelry.

Realization hit Sakura faster than a lightning bolt.

Sakura almost _squealed_.

"I-Is that what I _think _it is?!" she asked excitedly. "Let me see!"

"I cannot. It's reserved for _my _woman."

He could not help but become smug when he saw Sakura's expression drop from excited to upset.

"It's a shame that I don't have one yet."

"Ugh!" she cried. "You _win_! I give up!"

Sakura then started to complain.

"You _always _win! It's so un-"

She stopped talking as soon as she saw Itachi's form bend down, the box held out in front of her as he opened it, only to find in it, _the most gorgeous ring she had ever seen. _

Its simplicity is what made it so very _attracting_. On it was a small red diamond, and on the ring was engraved the name that she would soon have when their marriage was official.

_Sakura Uchiha._

The name made her heart skip a beat.

"Sakura."

He caught her attention.

"Will you marry me?"

He already knew the answer, but that didn't stop him from asking it.

He needed to hear her answer one more time.

Sakura's eyes once again became filled with tears as she held out her hand.

"_Yes._"

Itachi slipped the ring onto her finger and then stood up.

They embraced for a moment before Sakura finally let out her bottled confession.

"Itachi, _I love you._"

She stared up at him hopefully, waiting to hear his response, her heart beating wildly.

But there was no reason for her to wait.

She should already know his answer.

"I am far more than content to be with you, Sakura—you make me happy."

He paused for a moment.

"_I love you._"

And with that, he kissed her with so much passion that Sakura went limp under him.

**

* * *

****I am beyond surprised from the reaction that I am getting from this series, to say the least. Not only did I not like the first chapter, but I was pretty close to deleting it. If it weren't for my friend Setsuna who had told me that it was good and that I was an idiot for thinking otherwise, I provably would have.**

**So, for now on, maybe I should just start posting things I hate, and NOT post things I like!**

**What do you think?**

**P.S.**

**I've been getting a couple of reviews that compare me to paws-bells. That doesn't only surprise me—it SHOCKS me! **

**I don't know if you guys noticed, but I'm actually one of paws-bells betas, so maybe she rubbed off on me or something. I don't know! Personally, I think she's much better than me, but, eh…that's just me.**

**Glad to know that you're enjoying this series so much.**

**Look out for the last installment: Matrimony!**

**And remember: it WILL have lemon, so the rating of that fan fic will be "M".**

**- _ItachixSakura Forever_**


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